“Yucatan is one of the 10 states in Mexico with the highest fish production, but it is not taking advantage of the ideal conditions offered by the region for aquaculture”, said the Chancellor of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sustainable Plan, during a presentation prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV) for the Yucatan’s state government on Tuesday March 29th.

Fernando Soto Baquero, FAO representative in Mexico, explained that fishing production scale in Yucatan is about 40,000 tons per year, and the main species in the area are grouper, octopus, lobster and sea ​​cucumber.

In contrast, aquaculture produces less than 600 tons per year of tilapia and shrimp, a very small amount considering that half of the Yucatecan territory is suitable for this profitable activity.

The meeting, held at the Convention Center Siglo XXI, was also attended by the National Commissioner of Fisheries, Mario Aguilar Sáchez, who announced that the Yucatan coast will no longer be included in the project to create a marine protected area, which would cover a large coastal area of Yucatan and Quintana Roo, as was recently reported, but the plan was rejected by different sectors of the fishing industry.

-Signing of an agreement between the National Fisheries Commission and the state government to allocate $13.325,000 pesos (740,000 USD) among aquaculture producers; and other $28.947,368 pesos (1.6 million USD) for fishermen to purchase outboards and modernize boats.

Agreements

-In another agreement between FAO and the state executive, research, higher education and management of production techniques in agriculture will be implemented. There will be a forum and a tour through Central American countries to promote higher education institutions in Yucatan in order to attract more foreign students from that area.

Governor Rolando Zapata announced a plan to increase the value of the octopus through new processing, packaging and marketing systems and procedures.

Dr. Alejandro Flores Nava, Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture of the FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean presented a master plan, consisting in two major items: a diagnosis and a development plan.

Flores Nava said that the work to develop the guiding document began in October 2014, involving forums and consultations with the participation of 63 social and private sector organizations, 18 academic and research institutions and 29 government agencies. As a result of that effort, a priority list was issued to start implementing the master plan.

This instrument will increase production by innovations, will protect endangered species, promote others in which there is low catch and create an Aquaculture zoning map.

In addition, a “roadmap” was obtained for the sustainability of sea cucumber and an assessment of the surveillance system was carried out on the coast in order to improve control over this activity.

A fishing and aquaculture census was carried out. The powers of the local government will be increased, knowledge of the various fishery resources are updated, the domestic market and exports will be strengthened, the legal framework will expand, health and safety grow, and there will be more research, development and training and combatting hunger.

Flores Nava also highlighted the social impact of fisheries and aquaculture in the amount of direct and indirect jobs generated. And he reiterated the urge to use “the unique conditions” of Yucatán for the establishment of fish farms, and take advantage of export facilities offered by the geographical position of this region.

In another speech, the head of the Conapesca said that “never in Mexico and the world has consumed as much fish as now”, reflecting the importance of this economic segment.

He added that in the next decade Mexico will get more protein species of sea board production of cattle, pigs and poultry.

Then he said the federal government proposed increase in six years, the per capita fish consumption in the nation, and that goal was reached in nearly half of the administration.

He also stated that the fishing gross domestic product has been growing at 9% annually, higher than the primary sector, which is between 4% and 5%.

That growth, he said, brought mismatches. Public policies to address them related to the restriction of fishing permits and concessions to avoid overexploitation and surveillance was increased, among other things were created.

Speaking of fishing growth in Yucatan, he said the average annual catch and fishing in this area has a value of about $ 1.300 billion pesos.

Governor Rolando Zapata closed that long journey with a speech in which he emphasized that Yucatán ranks tenth in volume of fish production in the country, but in value of production in the country is in fifth place.

–This is the most significant: the growth of this activity in recent years, both in production volume, as he pointed capture and sale. This allows the direct and indirect livelihood of about 60,000 families. This is the dimension of fishing activity in Yucatan.

No interest that welfare generated by this activity in the Yucatecan families is durable, sustainable and growing for future generations. For this to happen, we have to make decisions today, we must act today. For this the master plan was developed to ensure that fishing activity continues to be a pillar for the social and economic dynamics, and is durable, sustainable and increasingly.

He announced that from next June will be a program window to Weight Weight fisheries sector.

Aquaculture plan

Governor Rolando Zapata closed the presentation of the Rector of Fisheries and Aquaculture Plan Yucatan.

Production

The president stressed that Yucatán ranks tenth in volume of fish production in the country, but in value of production in the country is in fifth place.

Increase

This is the most significant: the growth of this activity in recent years, both in production volume, as he pointed capture and sale. This allows the direct and indirect livelihood of about 60,000 families.

Program

He announced that from next June will be a program window to Weight Weight fisheries sector.